The interdepartmental graduate
program in bioorganic chemistry, leading to the degree of doctor
of philosophy, is designed to give students a broad background
in organic chemistry and in biochemistry, and to provide an appreciation
for, and expertise in, the multiple disciplines that are currently
being applied to problems at the interface of organic chemistry
and biology. The program combines research opportunities in organic
synthesis, organic reaction mechanisms, enzyme structure and function,
molecular recognition, and structure determination of peptides
and nucleic acids by X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy.
Thesis research will be carried out with two advisors, in accordance
with the multidisciplinary aspects of bioorganic chemistry.

G = How to Be Admitted to
the Graduate Program

The general requirements for
admission to the Graduate School are listed in an earlier section
of the Bulletin. Applicants are normally expected to have
strong backgrounds in physical or biological science, with undergraduate
concentrations in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, or pharmacology.
Applications should include, in addition to three letters of reference,
a personal statement giving reasons for choosing the field of
bioorganic chemistry and indicating areas of special interest.
Applicants are expected to take the Graduate Record Exam and are
encouraged to visit Brandeis for an interview.

S = Faculty Advisory Committee

Robert Abeles, Chair

(Biochemistry)

Dana Gordon

(Chemistry)

Lizbeth Hedstrom

(Biochemistry)

James Hendrickson

(Chemistry)

Daniel Oprian

(Biochemistry)

Gregory Petsko

(Biochemistry and Chemistry)

Thomas Pochapsky

(Chemistry)

Dagmar Ringe

(Biochemistry and Chemistry)

Barry Snider

(Chemistry)

G = Requirements for the Degree
of Doctor of Philosophy

Program of Study

Each doctoral candidate must
successfully complete seven courses. All participants in the program
will take BCHM 101a, 101b, CHEM 134b, and either 131a or 133a.
Students must also take at least one course dealing with spectroscopy
or crystallographic methods; choices include CHEM 132b, 229b,
and 235b. An additional course will be chosen from the offerings
of the chemistry and biochemistry departments. Students are also
required to take CONT 300b (Ethical Practice in Health-Related
Sciences). First-year students undertake six, six-week laboratory
rotations in different laboratories in the program. In the course
of their graduate career, students will present three seminars
in the organic chemistry and biochemistry programs and one seminar
in the bioorganic program. Thesis research is performed under
the direction of two faculty members in different fields of expertise
so that students will gain expertise in more than one discipline.

Financial Support

Graduate students generally
receive financial support (tuition and stipend) throughout their
participation in the graduate program.

Teaching

Students participate as teaching
assistants for two terms.

Language Requirement

Students are required to show
proficiency in the use of a commonly used software package (e.g.,
QUANTA, MM2) and operating system (e.g., UNIX, VMS).

Residence Requirement

The minimum residence requirement
for the Ph.D. degree is three years.

Qualifying Examinations

At the end of the first year,
students will develop and defend an original proposition for a
research problem in his or her area of interest. In addition,
students must demonstrate general knowledge of bioorganic chemistry
by passing three of four area examinations. All students are expected
to pass area examinations in (1) organic chemistry and (2) metabolism
and enzymology. Students must also pass an examination in either
(3) molecular biology or (4) spectroscopy and structure determination.
Students are expected to have completed this requirement by the
end of the third year. Two of these must be completed by the end
of the second year. This general knowledge outside the student's
own field of specialization must be demonstrated to the satisfaction
of a committee of three faculty members appointed by the Student
Advisory Committee.

Dissertation and Thesis
Defense

Each doctoral candidate will
submit a dissertation describing his or her research and will
defend it in a Final Oral Examination.

S = Courses of Instruction

G = (200 and above) Primarily
for Graduate Students

BIOC 200a,b Bioorganic Seminar

Usually offered every year.

Staff

BIOC 303d Lab Rotations

L =

CONT 300b Ethical Practice
in Health-Related Sciences

Required of all first-year
graduate students in health-related science programs. Not for
credit.

Scientists are becoming increasingly
aware of the importance of addressing ethical issues and values
associated with scientific research. This course, taught by University
faculty from several graduate disciplines, will cover major ethical
issues germane to the broader scientific enterprise, including
areas or applications from a number of fields of study. Lectures
and relevant case studies will be complemented by two public lectures
during the course. Usually offered every year.

Mr. Jones

S = Cross-Listed Courses

BCHM 101a

Advanced Biochemistry I

BCHM 101b

Advanced Biochemistry II

BCHM 104b

Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules

BCHM 202b

Chemistry of Enzyme-Catalyzed
Reactions

CHEM 111a

Computational Chemistry

CHEM 131a

Advanced Organic Chemistry:
Topics in Structure and Reactivity

CHEM 132b

Advanced Organic Chemistry:
Spectroscopy

CHEM 134b

Advanced Organic Chemistry:
Synthesis

CHEM 137b

The Chemistry of Organic Natural
Products

CHEM 229b

Special Topics in Inorganic
Chemistry: Introduction to X-ray Structure Determination